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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

First argument - WIBU?

115 replies

captainflash · 18/05/2019 02:43

I know I should probably post this in AIBU but a bit nervous of that board at times!

Bit of backstory so as not to drip feed: been with DP for nearly 3 years. We both have children from previous relationships and complications with ex DP’s mean we tend to only see each other properly EOW. Lots of phone calls and ongoing messages the other times when apart.

Tonight DP was going out to a pre-arranged gig with a group of friends. I was never invited to this, even though other friends had girlfriends coming. The band weren’t my cup of tea so I didn’t really push being invited.
This week has been one of the most stressful of the last year for me. I teach and am senior management at a failing school. It’s been statutory assessment week and the pressure on me has been immense. I’ve had to go to bed early with stress migraines and generally felt awful.

Today was a hideous day. Exams were challenging, a friend (who has children both the same age as mine) told me she has breast cancer and we were informed at work of a local authority review/ inspection of all our work to ensure progress. This will take place in around 8 working days time. It’s a massive thing to prepare for.

During this week, I have spoken to DP for less than 10 minutes. Messaging has been less and ‘chat tomorrow’ has been his general message, which hasn’t happened. Today I had one ‘good morning’ message.

Feeling pretty shit, I sent him a message before bed saying I hoped he was enjoying himself, I loved him and to have fun. But added I’d had an awful day but listened to ‘our song’ And thought about him a lot to help me feel better. And good night. It wasn’t an usual message and have sent others like this before which he picks up in the morning.

This is where the AIBU comes in. A little while later he relied saying ‘xxxx were amazing!’, followed by an added message saying he was ‘beyond happy’. I replied saying I was going to bed now as felt down. He then rang me asking why I’d said anything as it has ‘killed his buzz’. And then hung up.

I messaged back saying that wasn’t a helpful reply to my ‘I’m having the worst day’ message and that I just needed to touch base with him. He phoned back, continually yelling at me that I was a needy drama queen and how dare I ruin his night out with my problems. He didn’t want to know them.
I told him that, as my DP of nearly three years, I felt shit that my feelings were of lesser importance than a night out and all I needed was to reach out to him. He told me he expected me to apologise to him tomorrow for ruining everything. I told him I was no longer talking to him on the phone as he was being a selfish bastard and I didn’t deserve that. He hung up again.

I’ve been laying here wide awake ever since crying. He has never behaved in that way before or ever made me feel so worthless and unimportant.
Did I do wrong by saying I’d had a bad day? He knows how awful the last few days have been already and I really wasn’t looking to spoil things for him, just say goodnight and that I’d had a bad day and needed him and that I loved him.

Did I deserve his reaction? Sorry this is so long!

OP posts:
Crustaceans · 20/05/2019 11:05

if you know you're partner is on a long awaited night out with friends, I'm not sure it's the best time to text him and tell him you're miserable and need him

As he’s basically a single man with a convenient EOW girlfriend, it probably wasn’t an unusual, long awaited night out with friends. Indeed, the OP’s subsequent posts suggest that her BF has plenty of nights out with his friends (that she doesn’t even hear about from him) on the weekends he doesn’t see her.

fghkhfdryjkv · 20/05/2019 11:28

Agree @Crustaceans. Can't believe what I've read.

Blondebakingmumma · 20/05/2019 11:39

I’m not sure any amount of groveling would stop me from ending things if I were in your shoes. Sorry, you don’t deserve this shitty behaviour

Drogosnextwife · 20/05/2019 11:49

No OP there's only one drama queen in your relationship. He's a prick. Make sure you tell him that.

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 20/05/2019 16:24

Hi @captainflash how did the coffee and talk go?

HeartsTrumpDiamonds · 20/05/2019 16:52

Apart from anything else I wouldn’t like to have a DP who so casually does coke like that on a night out.

HollowTalk · 20/05/2019 16:59

I can't think of one reason why you should stay with this man.

MH1975 · 20/05/2019 17:12

No wonder he was an arsehole if he was on coke - people on that are generally self absorbed, selfish arse holes
But think they’re great

captainflash · 20/05/2019 18:56

Hello all. Sorry for not coming back in to reply sooner. I've been an absolute mess this weekend. I've been trying to look after the kids and crack on with the huge amount of work I've had to do -without bursting into tears whenever I have looked at this thread.

I saw him Saturday afternoon and it nearly broke me. I love him so much. Aside from that incident and the not being invited to events thing I found out, he has been such a great boyfriend. He is supportive- he comes and picks things up for me in his van. Will help me get places, go to the tip for me or my family, ferries me around. He has let me cry on his lap whilst stroking my hair; come round to play with my children when I was too sick to get out of bed....
He is generally so attentive and generous. He knows I have less money than him so will always pay for dinners and treats and buys me amazing, thoughtful gifts.

However, I just don't know if I can reconcile this man with the one who I spoke to on Friday night. It has totally fucked with my mind.
He was truly apologetic and looked ill with himself. We walked and talked and I told him many of the things he said. He was wincing when he heard them and said he was ashamed of himself. He said that he honestly thinks I am the best thing that has ever happened to him and he couldn't bear to lose me. Lots of tears on both parts.

I just don't know what to do. I read your replies and feel sick because I wonder if that's really who he is. I just don't know what to do.

OP posts:
captainflash · 20/05/2019 18:58

God I sound really wanky there sorry! I've been leading writing groups all day and can't turn off my inner thesaurus Grin

OP posts:
Haffiana · 20/05/2019 19:12

Hmm. I can see this from both sides.

A little while later he relied saying ‘xxxx were amazing!’, followed by an added message saying he was ‘beyond happy’. I replied saying I was going to bed now as felt down.

Why didn't you say that you were glad he was having a wonderful time? Were you glad for him or were you unable to feel happy for him because you were having a shit day?

captainflash · 20/05/2019 19:25

@Haffiana I did say that. I wasn't that brutal. I have read back my original texts lots of times and don't think what I said was too harsh.
I was glad he was having a good time and did say that to him.

I wrote my OP in such a state!

OP posts:
lifebegins50 · 20/05/2019 20:35

OP, my Ex was amazing for quite a few years, there were some incidents of lack of empathy or passive aggressive behaviour but the good outweighed the bad and no one is perfect, so I thought.

However once we commited the mask slipped. It is always a mistake to ignore a feeling of fear or shock at someone's aggression. It never comes from no where. I could not act aggressive as it just isn't within me. Could you behave like that?

He is this person and "something" was his trigger..was that unique? I doubt it, did he say he has never been so angry before with anyone else? Did he say it was due to drugs so will never take them again? What will he do to ensure it doesn't happen, can he guarantee it.

What you know is that he is capable of aggression when triggered by you needing something.
Will that happen again? I would bet money on it as all couples will mismatch emotions at times. Be honest will you now be slightly afraid to raise a bad day with him when he is happy or out with friends. If so you are modifying your behaviour already so his outburst worked and you are being trained.

BendyLikeBeckham · 20/05/2019 21:32

OP, I think he is back pedalling because he thinks he will lose you. Which again, is all about HIM and HIS needs.

He HAS shown you who he really is. Question is, will you listen?

hellsbellsmelons · 21/05/2019 08:44

This is your life.
You know the man he has been portraying to you.
That may well be the real him.
But can you take that chance?
He would need to promise me that he wouldn't ever take coke again.
He would also need to tell me exactly why he doesn't invite me to everything and why he then lies to his friends. (I suspect it because he want to take coke more than he wants you)
He would need to explain why he doesn't want me out with him and his friends. Is he ashamed of you in some way?
Does he fancy someone else within that crowd so doesn't want you cramping his style?
Is it the taking coke?
That would be the hardest thing for me to reconcile.
Why doesn't he want me around??? It's not a lads thing. It's couples and you are couple so why then....???
That bit just doesn't make sense when you put it alongside how good he is to you most of the time.
It was one incident and I don't see why you couldn't past it but he would need to make more of commitment and explain all of the above before I even considered it.
Your life - your decision.

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